It is well known and documented in prior patent specifications of the ability of silver ions to effectively destroy micro-organisms. However, in all prior art, silver that has been used in the application of liquid purification has been based on the production of silver salts. Silver salts are either added to the liquid or chemically manufactured in situ by electrolysis. The use of silver using electrolysis is described in Australian Patent No. 685630 and International Patent Application No. PCT/AU96/00768, the contents of which are herein incorporated into this specification. With either chemical or electrical introduction of silver to the liquid, the salts and ions produced were quickly used up to perform the purification effect. In many cases, salts such as silver chloride which are basically insoluble, could precipitate out as sediment and would not be carried with the liquid. In many cases where the liquid was to be treated, prior to filtering, the silver more often than not, came into contact with chlorine causing the production of silver iodide (a chemical effective in seeding clouds). Silver iodide has a tendency to plate out on surrounding elements and tends to be left behind and again is not carried with liquid.
It is a well known fact that most silver compounds are light sensitive and tend to plate out, hence they are used in practically all photographic and X-ray processes. This particular attribute of silver can become detrimental when silver is used as a potable purifier, where plating out for instance can cause staining, eg swimming pools and spas and discolouration in clear liquids.
In the prior art the above mentioned problems were basically considered natural silver reactions which restricted the natural anti-microbial ability of silver in specific applications. To eliminate the problem would mean eliminating the silver. In drinking water, specific tolerances of silver have been recommended by health authorities such as FDA (Federal Drug Administration), WHO (World Health Authority) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to minimise the effect of silver salts which can cause a side effect called Argeria. Argeria is a discolouration of the skin when overdosing of silver occurs. The above recommendations and legislation has made it nearly impossible to derive the maximum potential of silver as an anti-microbial element even though the skin discolouration has been proven to be completely harmless.